


Alchemical Bond

by luffywhatelse



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alchemy, EdxWin, EdxWinry, F/M, bond, edwardxwinry, edwin - Freeform, fma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 11:43:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20191717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luffywhatelse/pseuds/luffywhatelse
Summary: Winry has been hugged before, but never like this since her father passed. There is something so warm, something that feels right, smells right. He respects her as a woman but cradles her like a cherished child. She feels him stroke her long blonde hair brushing them back with his fingers, pull her into his chest and kiss her forehead. The realisation they have been through all that together (most of the time) since day one, but that now there is a completely new, different confidence that he has never had before, surprises her.





	Alchemical Bond

In her memories, he was the awkward young boy, the nerd who despised everyone - or rather, who ignored everyone.

For this reason, now that she's looking at this self-confident and charming young man, she almost doesn't recognize _her_ Ed.

Finally, Ed is here and maybe there is nothing romantic between them but when he walks up to her slowly and opens his arms, she doesn't hesitate to go into them. His body is so familiar to her - she can feel its heat, the warm scent of his skin, even the sound of his heart beating. But this is the first time she really feels it, lean and hard muscle against her own.

Pulling her closer to him, anchoring her against his chest, he wraps his strong arms around her, telling everything that she is - body, brain and soul - that he is with her. As if holding her isn't quite enough, he has to feel every ounce that she is press into every ounce that is him. Winry feels her body pressed against his and sinks into his warmth. His big, strong arms seem very protective and she realizes that's where she wants to stay. Her heart pounds until it seems as if her whole body must pulsate with it as she squeezes him back, not wanting the moment to end. She's awake somehow, more alive than she has been in so very long.  
  
Winry has been hugged before, but never like this since her father passed. There is something so warm, something that feels right, smells right. He respects her as a woman but cradles her like a cherished child. She feels him stroke her long blonde hair brushing them back with his fingers, pull her into his chest and kiss her forehead. The realisation they have been through all that together (most of the time) since day one, but that now there is a completely new, different confidence that he has never had before, surprises her.  
  
How many years have passed?

Five, six?

For years she had seen him sporadically, although she had always been close to support him... and _fix_ him.

Once there was no hug; he just put his hand on her head, probably too shy to make any contact because he wasn't entirely sure if they’re still friends. It  
tasted like uncertainty but even like a promise... and tenderness too. Like hidden truths to protect her from and not make her suffer more. But it didn't help. Winry knew it, they both knew it.  
  
And so, suffering, Winry was left behind, necessarily cast aside - she didn't want to risk being another thing he had to worry about and messing up his life even more.  
Even when Ed told her he probaby couldn't save everyone's life. Complaining about not getting to see him anymore would only make him feel guilty. Besides, he would promise to come back and it wouldn't be like they would never see each other again.

_We'll only be apart for a little while, I'm not lonely. I'll be fine. He'll be fine._ Winry shut her eyes and tried to convince herself,_ I'm okay. I believe in Ed and wait for the day he come back._

She flashed her most cheerful smile.

_"Promise me you'll absolutely come back!"_

_"A promise..."_

_"Yup, a promise." _

Only now she really realize how much she missed him in all the time they have been apart. She realizes how much that beautiful stranger who has the fiery look of his childhood friend is grown.

They have lots of things to say and share, words bursting to get out, hidden behind uncertain smiles and suspended in the air between them.

Having a coffee together won't be enough.  
A whole life wouldn't be enough, perhaps, and that thought becomes a certainty when Winry notices the sparkle of something clenched tightly in his right hand. Ed takes a deep breath to settle his nerves and kneels in front of her, than he extendes his fist in front of Winry and slowly spreads his tightly balled fingers apart. The white gold ring with a blue stone in the center catches the moonlight now that he's holding it out to her.

"I thought I should properly ask you..."

"You're giving this... to me?"

"I am. I've used alchemy...oh, well, Al has used alchemy to create it." He smiles triumphantly.

"So pretty..." Winry muttered, knowing that he just can't help talking about alchemy, but she can't hold back a smile and nods, while something, which she can't name, closes her throat preventing her from using her voice.

Images of a distant, different existence, in which everything was still undefined - with infinite variety of alternatives and possible indelible mistakes - replay before her eyes, like photographs.

"Yes" she manages to say in the end, with the wonderful certainty gained over the years.

He happily supports her left hand with his as he slides the ring onto her ring finger. Winry can feel the same gentle warmth from the ring as she had from the alchemy she has always felt between them. Her eyes shyly glances between the ring and his face making him look down at his automail foot.

"Y-Yes, it looks good on you. You're... that's why I had to..." he pauses, hesitant while a deep red colors his face and ears.

"Ed?"

He looks up at her and his eyes glow fiercely in his already red face. He exhales to collect himself before placing his hand on top of hers, covering it. Ed fervently gazes into her big blue eyes.

"That's why I want to stay with you forever in the future."

Winry returns his passionate gaze, "If I make this promise with you, will you always come back to me?"

"Of course I will, Winry! As I always did. You're the most important person in the universe to me." This time there is no uncertainty in Ed's voice.

Winry happily squeezes his hand back after hearing his reply. There is no need to hesitate now. "I'll be waiting for you forever and ever. As I always did."

She gazes at him and he looks back at her affectionately, pulling her hands to his chest and wrapping them up in his own. He leans in and places his forehead against hers.

"I promise that, whenever I have to leave, I will absolutely come for you."

And that promise is like an alchemical rune he's drawing inside her to bind her soul to his forever.


End file.
